Beijing's instant departure tax refund service lauded by overseas shoppers

During the 2020 China International Fair for Trade in Services, the instant departure tax refund service provided by the Wangfujing Department Store shopping experience area in Hall E5 won praise from fair attendees.

The instant departure tax refund service is for foreign travelers and compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan who meet the conditions of the departure tax rebate. It allows them to receive refunds directly from stores after purchasing tax refund items.

Beijing Municipal Tax Service cooperated with the Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau and Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism to support the Wangfujing Department Store as a pilot business for the instant departure tax refund service. Now, overseas travelers who shop there can receive the tax rebate at the store.

Overseas travelers, who are departing from China via Beijing within 17 days after shopping and have a single consumption that is not less than 500 yuan ($73.1) and a cumulative consumption that is not more than 50,000 yuan ($7,313), can enjoy the instant departure tax refund. To receive the rebate, shoppers need to fill out the application form in the pilot stores.

The implementation of the instant departure tax refund service has not only improved the shopping experience of travelers and stimulated consumption, but also played a positive role in the accelerated internationalization of Beijing’s tourism market.

Since the departure tax rebate service was launched in July 2015, Beijing has had 538 pilot stores. Goods worth 930 million yuan ($136 million) have been sold under the scheme, with refunds totaling nearly 83 million yuan ($12.14 million).

Beijing Municipal Tax Service officials said that they will continue to provide more innovative services for the departure tax rebate system.